KOL JESHURUN iurah kue The Voice of BJ This Week February 15-22, 2019 10-17 Adar I, 5779 Shabbat Tetzaveh WELCOME TO BJ! We buid our kehiah kedoshah sacred community with creativity and intention to present a compeing, energizing, and transformationa vision of Judaism in the 21st century. PLEASE JOIN US: Prayer & Spirituaity Limud / Learning Famiy Life & Learning Community Events Tzedek & Hesed / Justice & Acts of Loving-Kindness Israe Programming RABBIS: J. Roando Mataon Feicia L. So Erin R. Gazer Marceo R. Bronstein HAZZAN: Ari Priven MARSHALL T. MEYER RABBINIC FELLOWS: Tobias Divack Moss Margo Hughes-Robinson Abi Weber EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR: Coin A. Wei SANCTUARY: 257 West 88th Street OFFICE: 270 West 89th Street, New York, NY 10024-1705 TEL: 212-787-7600 FAX: 212-496-7600 www.bj.org facebook.com/bnai.jeshurun Twitter: @bjnyc
OUR COMMUNITY HA-MAKOM YENAHEM / CONDOLENCES The community of B nai Jeshurun extends sincere condoences to the foowing members and their famiies: Rochee and Maks Etingin, their chidren, Ori and Jonathan Siver, and their grandchidren, Eiot, Ben, and Leah Siver, on the death of Rochee s sister, Edna Cohen. Lenny Boom on the death of his brother, Andrew Boom. MAZAL TOV / CONGRATULATIONS To the foowing members and their famiies: Avita Mendeson and Asaff Hare, and Ethan Hare on the birth of their son and brother, Benjamin Amir Hare. B RUKHIM HABA IM / WELCOME Rabbi Sharon Marcus and The Park Synagogue Confirmation Cass, Pepper Pike, Ohio. Wecome to a who are visiting us for the first time! If we haven t approached you aready, come say hi to one of the rabbis, a staff member, or an usher, and we introduce you to the peope who make BJ the warm, transformative, open pace that it is. A Town Ha on Justice for NYS Farmworkers Tuesday, February 19, 6:00-8:00PM, Riverfront branch: Yonkers Pubic Library, 1 Larkin Center, Yonkers, NY: Join the BJ Economic Justice Hevra and our partners as we make a push to pass the Farmworkers Fair Labor Practices Act. To R.S.V.P., emai Paua at gpaua11@gmai.com. REPAIR THE WORLD TODAY WITH BJ WHAT YOU CAN DO: Sheter Seepover Vounteers Needed Sunday Thursday, 9:00 PM-7:00AM, SPSA or Franke Ha: Our sheter is in need of reiabe vounteers for a once-a-month seepover shift. This is the ony mitzvah you can iteray do in your seep! It s easy, and a makes a huge difference in the ives of our guests. Contact Larissa, woh@bj.org to earn more and sign up. This event can be viewed on the BJ ivestream at www.bj.org/ive. We are happy to share BJ s services with those unabe to attend in person through automated recording and ivestreaming, avaiabe on our website and on our YouTube channe. The camera wi be focused on the bimah and areas in front of the Ark. Your presence in those areas indicates your consent to your image appearing on the ivestream. Tune in ive and to watch previousy streamed services and programs at www.bj.org/ive. 1
THIS WEEK AT BJ FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 15 Kabbaat Shabbat Service 6:15 PM Sanctuary SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 16 Shabbat Morning Services 9:30 AM Sanctuary Famiy Service (0-Pre-K/K-Grade 2) Famiy Service (Grades 3-6) Community Kiddush 10:45 AM Midde & Reception Rooms 10:45 AM Chape Foowing services Community House 3rd Foor A Converso s Journey to the Rabbinate Foowing Kiddush Chape Rabbi Haim Casas wi speak of his amazing ife journey, from his converso chidhood to his ordination in 2017 as the first Spanish-born rabbi in over 500 years. For more information, visit www.bj.org/rabbicasas. Shabbat Basketba 3:30 PM Community House 3rd Foor Wondering what to do on a cod Shabbat afternoon? Join us for a casua pick-up basketba game. A ski eves are wecome. Sign up now at www.bj.org/shabbatbasketba2019. SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 17 Teen Service Learning Trip to the Dominican Repubic (through 2/24) Morning Minyan 9:30 AM Chape MONDAY, FEBRUARY 18 Presidents Day BJ Office cosed Morning Minyan 9:30 AM Chape TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 19 The Prophets with Rabbi Hie Friedman 9:00 AM 4th Foor Conference Room Sou Food Lunch and Learn 12:30 PM Midde Room with Rabbi Feicia So Bring a bag unch and join Rabbi Feicia So as we re-imagine od word wisdom for everyday ife. Each cass stands aone, so new participants are aways wecome. No prior knowedge required. Through 6/18. Register now at www.bj.org/soufood2019. Own Your Tradition: A Community 6:30 PM Community House Room 411 Beit Midrash on Prayer In this five-week series (foowing intro session What is the Tamud and Why Does it Matter? ) we wi expore the meaning of prayer by unocking one of the primary sources itsef: Tractate Berakhot of the Babyonian Tamud. Sign up now at www.bj.org/ownyourtradition. Jewish Mindfuness and Heaing 7:00 PM Chape Reationships Together with Rabbi Marceo Bronstein, we wi expore some of our universa conficts and use the toos the tradition has for us to hea. Sign up now at www.bj.org/mindfunessheaing. Upcoming cass: 2/26. Everyday Ethics with Rabbi Adina Lewittes 7:00 PM Reception Room WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 20 Introduction to Judaism 7:00 PM Community House White Supremacy, Racism, and Antisemitism: A Conversation with Eric Ward More detais in green box at right. 7:30 PM Sanctuary 2
Tuesday, February 12. continued THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 21 Israe Today Trip (through 2/28) FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 22 TRANSFORMING DARKNESS INTO LIGHT During the Hebrew months of Adar I and Adar II, we wi expore the darkness of antisemitism before moving toward the ight of Purim with joy and pride. Throughout Adar I, we are exporing antisemitism in America today through a series of educationa sessions. Experts and thought eaders wi guide our earning and discussion on this important and timey topic. Find out more at www.bj.org/confrontingantisemitism. White Supremacy, Racism, and Antisemitism: A Conversation with Eric Ward Wednesday, February 20, 7:30PM, Sanctuary Learn about the reationship between antisemitism, racism, and white supremacy, and how they threaten American democracy. Sign up now at www.bj.org/ericward. Antisemitism and Jews by Choice Monday, February 25, 7:00-8:30PM, Chape Rabbinic Feow Margo Hughes-Robinson eads a discussion on the unique experience of Jews by Choice in facing antisemitism. Open to BJ members who are Jews by Choice, and their oved ones. Sign up now at www.bj.org/antisemitismchoice. WHAT S NEXT Community Shabbat Dinner with Rabbi Marceo Bronstein and Cantor Dave Mintz Friday, February 22, foowing Kabbaat Shabbat services, Reception and Midde Rooms: Make your Shabbat sweeter with friends, food, and singing ed by Rabbi Marceo Bronstein and Cantor David Mintz. Join us for an intimate three-course dinner with wine and enjoy the company of your feow community members. Register now at www.bj.org/ marceodavedinner. Jump Into Memoir Sunday, February 24, 12:00 noon, Midde Room: Participants wi harness memory and imagination to shape their stories, whie simutaneousy exporing eements of craft. Bring a notebook/pad and preferred writing impements. This workshop is open to writers of a eves. Register now at www.bj.org/jumpintomemoir. Incusion Advocacy Training for Jewish Women and Girs with Disabiities and Their Aies Sunday, February 24, 1:00-5:00PM, Marene Meyerson JCC Manhattan, 334 Amsterdam Avenue: RespectAbiity is peased to faciitate a community-wide incusion advocacy training event. Appy now at www.bj.org/disabiitiestraining. continued on pane 54 3
WHAT S NEXT Parenting Towards Bar/Bat Mitzvah Wednesday, February 27, 6:30-8:00PM, ocation given upon registration: Parents of 5th and 6th graders are invited to join Rabbi Feicia So at her home for community and conversation regarding parenting towards your chid s Bar/Bat Mitzvah. Register by Monday, February 18 at www.bj.org/bmitzvahparenting. The Spiritua State of Being a Woman in America Thursday, February 28, 7:00-8:30PM, Community House: Join Rabbi Feicia So and Prof. Yifat Bitton for an exporation of how we can turn to reigious ife for support, whie aso acknowedging the patriarchy in reigion. For more information and to sign up, visit www.bj.org/womaninamerica. March Tot Shabbat Friday, March 1, 5:15-7:30PM, Sanctuary and Franke Ha: Famiies enjoy a kid-friendy Kabbaat Shabbat service fied with singing and dancing, foowed by a dinner with Shabbat bessings and songs. Whie aduts are finishing their mea, chidren engage in pay and exporation. Register now at www.bj.org/totshabbatmarch19. Vounteer Recognition Shabbat Saturday, March 2, during and foowing Shabbat morning services, Sanctuary and Community House 3rd Foor: Every year, hundreds of individuas give of themseves to make BJ a sacred, spiritua, and caring home. Come honor and be honored as we ceebrate the dedicated vounteers whose contributions buid our community. Fourth Grade B nai Mitzvah Journey: Opening Ritua Saturday, March 2, 5:00-7:00PM, Sanctuary and Franke Ha: Join Rabbi Feicia So for this specia event that brings together a 4th grade students and famiies as they begin their journey toward becoming B nai Mitzvah. For more information, and to sign up, visit www. bj.org/openingritua2019. Israei Art and Cuture Saon Series Sunday, March 3, 4:00-6:00PM, ocation given upon registration: In this six-part series, BJ members wi meet promising Israei artists working in New York in an intimate, home setting. The upcoming session wi feature fashion designer Micha Hidas and pianist/ composer Danie Meron. Sign up at www.bj.org/israesaonspring2019. Israei Fim Cub First Tuesday of each month, beginning March 5, 7:00-8:30 PM, ocation given upon registration: Join us for a five-session series, featuring short Israei fims covering key issues in Israei society. The first meeting wi feature Oneg Shabbat by Miha Brezis and Oded Binnun. Sign up now at www.bj.org/israeifimcub. Cooking In Hebrew: A Course in Israei Cuisine (Wednesday Cass) Wednesday, March 6, 11:00AM-2:00PM, Franke Ha: Participants earn to prepare traditiona Israei and Midde-Eastern kosher dishes, exposing them to Israe s muti-cutura society, and an opportunity to improve their Hebrew in the process. No prior knowedge of Hebrew or cooking necessary. Sign up now at www.bj.org/cookinginhebrewwednesday. In the Mirror Lunch and Learn with Rabbi Roy Mataon No cass this week. Resumes Thursday, March 7, 12:30PM, ocation provided upon registration: Upcoming casses: 3/14, 28; 4/4, 11. To join the waitist, emai Beth at btarson@bj.org. Famiy Shabbat Dinner: March Madness Friday, March 8, toowing the Kabbaat Shabbat service, Chape: Wear your favorite team s jersey the theme of this Shabbat dinner is March Madness! Register by Monday, March 4, at www.bj.org/marchmadness continued on pane 5 4
WHAT S LATER Israei Book Cub Tuesday, March 12, 7:00-8:30PM, Community House: BJ s Israei Book Cub is honored to host award-winning Israei author Ayeet Gundar-Goshen for a reading from her accaimed noves Waking Lions and One Night, Markovich. Register now at www.bj.org/ bookcub. Parenting Chidren in Muti-faith/Muti-heritage Reationships Thursday, March 14, 7:00PM, Midde Room: Is your chid dating, or married to, someone with a different faith background or heritage? Join Rabbi Adina Lewittes and cinica psychoogist Dr. Sherri Kauderer for an open and supportive conversation. Sign up now at www.bj.org/adinasherriconversation. ReGroup Thursdays, March 14; May 6, 7:00PM, Chape: Wondering what roe Judaism can pay in your muti-faith or muti-heritage famiy? Join us as we expore different ways of bringing Judaism into our ives. To earn more, or to R.S.V.P., emai Sarah at srosentha@bj.org. Demystifying Mikvah with the Jewish Home Project Sunday, March 24, 10:30AM, West Side Mikvah, 236 West 74th Street: Join the Jewish Home Project and Rabbinic Feow Margo Hughes-Robinson for a tour of the West Side Mikvah with ImmerseNYC and a discussion on its spiritua meaning. For more information, and to sign up, visit www.bj.org/jhpmikvah. 6th Grade B nai Mitzvah Retreat Friday, May 3-Sunday, May 5, Camp Ramah Nyack, Christian Herad Rd, Nyack, NY: Join your feow 6th graders at our weekend-ong B nai Mitzvah Retreat! Transportation wi be provided, as we as snacks on Friday afternoon through breakfast on Sunday. Register now at www.bj.org/6thgraderetreat2019. Young Famiies Retreat Friday, May 3-Sunday, May 5, Camp Ramah Nyack, Christian Herad Rd, Nyack, NY: Join us for a Shabbat weekend fied with outdoor games, music, hiking, earning opportunities, community buiding, a campfire, and more. Register by Apri 15 at www.bj.org/ youngfamiiesretreat2019. Women s Retreat 2019 Friday, May 31-Sunday, June 2, 7:00-8:30PM, Isabea Freedman Jewish Retreat Center, 116 Johnson Road, Fas Viage, CT: Join Rabbi Feicia So for a gorious Shabbat of joy, song, earning, and connection in a beautifu, natura environment fied with the excusive sound of women s voices. For more information, and to register, visit www.bj.org/ womensretreat2019. See separate fier for this week s Torah portion and Taste of Torah. Printed on Recyced Paper BJ RECYCLES AND COMPOSTS. Pease ook for bins throughout our spaces. BJ s Ner Tamid at the BJ Sanctuary is powered by the energy of the sun. 5 AVAILABLE AT SERVICES & PROGRAMS IN THE BJ SANCTUARY
February 15-22, 2019 10-17 Adar, 5779 A TASTE OF TORAH: SHABBAT TETZAVEH What is the most important verse in a of Torah? The Netivot Oam, a 16th century ethica text by mystic Rabbi Judah Loew ben Bezae (known as the Mahara), brings a midrash that expores this debate. Ben Zoma is confident that the best representative of a of Torah is the Shema: Hear, oh Israe, the Lord our God, the Lord is One! (Deut. 6:4). Ben Nannos disagrees, bringing a verse from Leviticus that he beieves summarizes Jewish thought: You sha ove your neighbor as yoursef (Lev. 19:18). Finay, Shimon ben Pazzai arrives with an odd contender, a verse found in this week s Torah portion, Tetzaveh: א ת-ה כ ב ש ה א ח ד, ת ע ש ה ב ב ק ר; ו א ת ה כ ב ש ה ש נ י, ת ע ש ה ב ין ה ע ר ב י ם. You sha offer one amb in the morning, and you sha offer the other amb at twiight. Exodus 29:39 Huh? The Mahara is puzzed by Pazzai s choice. Ceary, the Shema represents our Jewish commitment to monotheism, and the verse from Leviticus represents ethica treatment of a peope. What vaue can we find in a verse about daiy anima sacrifice? For the Mahara, it is the daiy piece of this verse that is essentia. Sure, we may be in awe of the one God; sure, we may fee a genera sense of obigation to other peope but what does it mean to actuay ive out those vaues, day in and day out? The anima sacrifice to which this parashah refers, known as the tamid (aways), was not offered for any specia occasion. It was offered every day, just because. It was offered every morning and every evening, no matter how seepy or annoyed or disengaged the priests fet that day. It was offered aways. This consistency is at the core of what it means to be a Jew. We are the peope who show up for each other, no matter how we fee that day; we are the peope who set time aside for daiy refection, no matter the difficuties we face. Even in chaenging moments, we retain our commitments and bring our fu seves to our communities. In a speech to graduating coege students, author David Foster Waace said, In the day-to-day trenches of adut ife, there is actuay no such thing as atheism. There is no such thing as not worshipping. Everybody worships. The ony choice we get is what to worship. Tetzaveh reminds us that every morning, every evening, we must choose what, and how, we wi worship. Let us choose wisey. Abi Weber TORAH PORTION TETZAVEH Torah: Annua Exodus 27:20-30:10 Triennia Exodus 29:19-30:10 1: 29:19-29:21 2: 29:22-29:25 3: 29:26-29:30 4: 29:31-29:34 5: 29:35-29:37 6: 29:38-29:46 7: 30:1-30:10 Maftir: 30:8-30:10 Haftarah Ezekie 43:10-43:27 NEXT WEEK: KI TISSA Torah: Annua Exodus 30:11-34:35 Triennia Exodus 33:12-34:35 Haftarah I Kings 18:20-18:39 Coffee not deivering its usua zing? Come to morning minyan and get a spiritua jot to start your day. Deveop a daiy Jewish practice, meet new peope in an intimate setting, and hep us make a minyan so our members can say kaddish for their oved ones. Visit www.bj.org/minyan.